Method of determining broadband content usage within a system
An end user network access point monitors and collects usage statistics associated with all content accessed by the end user devices through the access point. One or more external control servers collect the usage statistics from each access point, thereby compiling macro-level statistics related to content accessed by the end user devices. The one or more external control servers can be co-located with the network equipment of the broadband infrastructure provider, or the one or more external control servers can be independent of the broadband infrastructure.
1. An apparatus to collect usage statistics related to data provided to one or more end user devices, the apparatus comprising:
a. a controller to access one or more data streams over a transmission infrastructure having a first quality of service that is applied to all of the data streams transmitted over the infrastructure, wherein each of the data streams is identified by a provider, and further wherein the controller receives a request for specific data from an end user device, to apply a second quality of service to the data stream based on the provider and to selectively transmit one of the one or more data streams to the end user device according to the request, wherein the first quality of service is different than the second quality of service.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver configured for wireless or wired network communications.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a wired router or a wireless router.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a wired modem or a wireless modem.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless access point.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a broadband network access point.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller applies the second quality of service to the data stream independent of the provider.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller applies the second quality of service to the data stream based on the data.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller applies the second quality of service to the data stream based on the provider, the data and data characteristics.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data streams comprise voice data.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data streams comprise broadband content.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data streams comprise secured content.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data streams comprise unsecured content.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data streams comprise streaming video.
15. A system to collect usage statistics related to data provided to a plurality of end user devices, the system comprising:
a. a plurality of end user network access points, wherein each end user network access point comprises a controller to access one or more data streams, wherein each of the data streams is identified by a provider, and further wherein the controller receives a request for specific data from an end user device, to apply a second quality of service to the data stream based on the provider and to selectively transmit one of the one or more data streams to the end user device according to the request; and
b. a transmission infrastructure having a first quality of service that is applied to all of the data streams transmitted over the infrastructure;
wherein the first quality of service is different than the second quality of service.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the end user device comprises one of a computer, a television, a telephone, a personal digital assistant, and music players/recorders.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein the end user device is coupled to a first network access point by a wireless connection or by a wired connection.
18. The system of claim 15 wherein a first end user network access point comprises a wired router or a wireless router.
19. The system of claim 15 wherein a first end user network access point comprises a wired modem or a wireless modem.
20. The system of claim 15 wherein a first end user network access point comprises a wireless access point.
21. The system of claim 15 wherein the controller applies the second quality of service to the data stream independent of the provider.
22. The system of claim 15 wherein the controller applies the second quality of service to the data stream based on the data.
23. The system of claim 15 wherein the controller applies the second quality of service to the data stream based on the provider, the data and data characteristics.
24. The system of claim 15 wherein the data streams comprise voice data.
25. The system of claim 15 wherein the data streams comprise broadband content.
26. The system of claim 15 wherein the data streams comprise secured content.
27. The system of claim 15 wherein the data streams comprise unsecured content.
28. The system of claim 15 wherein the data streams comprise streaming video.
29. A method of collecting usage statistics related to data provided to a plurality of end user devices, the method comprising:
a. accessing one or more data streams over a transmission infrastructure having a first quality of service that is applied to all of the data streams transmitted over the infrastructure by a local end user network access point, wherein each data stream is identified by a provider;
b. receiving a request for specific data from an end user device by the local end user network access point;
applying a second quality of service to the data stream based on the provider, wherein the first quality of service is different than the second quality of service; and
c. selectively transmitting one of the one or more data streams to the end user device according to the request;
d. determining usage statistics associated with the transmitted content data stream by the local end user network access point;
e. storing the usage statistics from any end user device receiving one of the one or more content data streams from the end user network access point, wherein the usage statistics are stored in the end user network access point;
f. collecting the usage statistics from each of a plurality of end user network access points by a control server; and
g. compiling the collected usage statistics, thereby generating macro-level usage statistics.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the second quality of service is applied to the data stream independent of the provider.
31. The method of claim 29 wherein the second quality of service is applied to the data stream based on the data.
32. The method of claim 29 wherein the second quality of service is applied to the data stream based on the provider, the data and data characteristics.
33. The method of claim 29 wherein the data streams comprise voice data.
34. The method of claim 29 wherein the data streams comprise broadband content.
35. The method of claim 29 wherein the data streams comprise secured content.
36. The method of claim 29 wherein the data streams comprise unsecured content.
37. The method of claim 29 wherein the data streams comprise streaming video.